Cover lock for gas tanks and the like



July 30, 1929. o. A. WIDERBERG COVER LOOK FOR GAS TANKS AND THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1928 Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COVER LOCK FOR GAS TANKS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed July 17,

This invention relates to a construction for a cap for an automobile gas tank or the like which can be locked to prevent the taking out of the gas in the absence of the owner.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide an improved form of cap which can be applied to the pipe or similar element, that is ordinarily employed at the top of the tank for filling, in such a way that it 'cannot be removed and to provide an improved arrangement of locking device for the top of the same. It will be understood, however, that although the invention is particularly adapted for this purpose it is not confined thereto, but is suited for use on a cover of any similar tank or other receptacle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred form of this invention applied to a gas tank;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same;

Fi 3 is a central sectional view of the same showing the cap open;

Fig. 4 is a plan of a gripping ring constituting a part of'the device;

Fig. 5 is a plan of an internal nut;

Fig. 6 is a side view of a spring washer;

Fig. 7 is a plan of the nut which cooperates with the lock, showing the lock in dotted line position, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views on the lines 8-8 and 9-9 respectively of Fig. 2.

The invention is intended to be applied to a tank 10 adapted to hold gasoline or any other liquid and having projecting up from. it a hollow pipe or filling inlet 11. The cap 12 has an opening all the way throughit, screwthreade d all the .way. At the bottom is a ring 13 which can be integral with it, but is shown as threaded into it and held by a set screw 14. By having it in this form the easing 12can be tapped all the way through. Anyway this ring constitutes a permanent part of the cap and the bottom part of the passage through it.

The top of the ring 13 is beveled to receive a split clamping ring 15. This split ring is beveled at the top and bottom and fits the bevel surface of the ring 13 and is provided with a knurled inner face and is also provided with a circumferential internal groove 16. Above this ring is a nut 17, which is beveled at the bottom and screw-threaded into the cap 12. The ring 15 is split and con- 1928. Serial No. 293,387.

tractible but, of course, does not engage the screw-threads. The turnin of the nut 17 inwardly will cause the two eveled surfaces of the ring 15 to be put under pressure between the beveled surfaces of the ring 13 and the nut 17 and thus force this split ring 15 inwardly about the outer surface of the pipe 11 and clamp the whole device thereto. The ring 17 is called a nut because, as shown in Fig. 5, it has a non-circular opening through it for the reception of a wrench or spanner to manipulate it. i

Resting on top of the nut 17 is a spring washer 18 for the purpose of exerting spring pressure between this nut and an upper nut 20, which also screws into the threads of the cap 12. Thls nut 20 is designed to screw down just far enough to serve as a part of the locking device as will appear.

Above this nut 20 is an inclined opening 21 through the wall of the cap 12 and I have shown this opening as having a short piece of plpe 22 driven into it and projecting above the nut 17 so as to serve two purposes. It constitutes a stop for that nut so that after once being inserted and adjusted to the right position, the nut cannot be removed. Also this plpe, or the opening without the pipe, constitutes a drain to let out any water that may get into the top of the cap.

Hinged to a pair of projections 23 on the cap 12 is a cover 24.. This has a projection 25 to limit its open position and is provided with a gasket 26 under which is supported a lock 27 having a spring-pressed latch 28. The details of the lock are not a part of this invention but it has a key slot 29 showing through an opening in the top of the cover 24; and the latch 28 is sprin -pressed so that it will lock automatically w en fully closed. It can be unlocked only by the use of the key.

It will be seen that the top of the latch 28, which is horizontal, has to come under a horizontal projection constituting a part of the nut 20 in order to lock the device. It is for that reason that this nut has to be adjusted exactly to the right height and position in order to have the device work properly. Therefore, in setting it up it is necessary to have the spring-washer 18 take up the space between the two washers after the washer 20 is adjusted to the proper position. This is shown as a hexagonal nut and therefore one of the sides of the hex has to be adjusted directly opposite the pivot and with its edge at right angles to the diameter of the cap through the center of the pivot on which the cap is mounted. It is after this 1s done that the hole 21 is bored and the ipe put in.

The preferred method 0 pivoting the cover is shown in Fig. 8. The pro ections 23 are bored out and headed caps 30 are inserted and ressed up with a driving fit. These caps have opposite cylindrical cavities constituting bearings for a pivot pin 31. Thus, the device cannot be opened by cutting off a head and drivin out a pin. The cover 24 is bored throug and a screw 32 is inserted to bear on the stud 31. A spring 33 supported in the bottom is provided for exerting sprmg pressure on the stud. Thus these two elements afford a certain amount of resistance of a yielding and frictional character against the swinging of the cap, thus reducing the chance of breakage when it is thrown back and preventing its closing accidentally. The spring also presses the cover down to ensure perfect seating of the gasket on the nut and prevent the entrance of'water. I have also shown a plate 34 pivoted to the cover at a point 35 and having a pin 36 for swinging it. This covers the key slot.

In this way it will be seen that I have provided a device for the purpose of preventing the stealing of gasoline out of the tank of an automobile when the driver is absent, which is of a simple character and cannot be removed from the tank without a rather important mechanical operation which will prevent the ordinary thefts of this character which now occur so frequently.

Although I have illustrated and described only one form of the invention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited in this respect but what I do claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a cap for a tank or the like comprising a casing having a passage therethrough for filling, said passage bein threaded inside, a split ring therein for c amping the cap on the filling pipe of a tank, means inside the casing for exerting pressure on the split ring to compress it around said pipe, a cover pivoted to the cap and a latch on the cover adapted to lock when the cover is closed.

2. As an article of manufacture, a cap for a tank or the like comprising a casing having a passage therethrough for filling, said passage being threaded inside all the way through, a ring screwed into the bottom of the thread and held in stationary position, a split ring therein for clamping the cap on the filling pipe of a tank, means inside the casing for exerting pressure on the split ring to force it against the bottom ring and compress it around said pipe, a cover pivoted to the cap and a latch on the cover adapted to lock when the cover is closed.

3. In a device of the character described,

. the combination with a cap in the form of a casin having a passage therethrough screwthrea ed and having a conical surface near the bottom,-of a spht ring roughened inside having a conical bottom surface and conical top surface at the edge, the former resting on the conical surface at the bottom of the cap, a nut fitting in said screw threads and having a lower conical surface engaging the upper conical surface of the ring, whereby when the nut is screwed down the ring will be forced inwardly and contracted to grip the top of the filling pipe of a tank, an attached cover, and means for locking the cover.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a cap having a screwthreaded passage, and having a beveled surface near the bottom, of a split ring roughened inside having a beveled bottom surface and beveled top surface at the edge, the former resting on the beveled surface at the bottom of the cap, a nut fitting in said screw threads and having a lower beveled surface engaging the upper beveled surface of the ring, whereby when the nut is screwed down the ring will be forced inwardl and contracted to grip the top of the filling pipe of a tank, a spring washer on the upper surface of said nut, a second nut screwing into the screw threads in the cap and bearing on the spring washer, said second nut having a non-circular opening therein, a cover pivoted on the cap, and a look inside the cover provided with a spring latch adapted to engage in the non-circular opening and projecting under the same to lock the devlce.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a cap having a screwthreaded passage, of a split ring roughened inside, a nut fitting in said screw threads and engaging the upper surface of the ring, whereb when .the nut is screwed down the ring w1ll be forced inwardly and contracted to grip the top of the filling pipe of a tank, a spring washer on the upper surface of said nut, 21 second nut screwing into the screw threads in the cap and bearing on the spring washer, said second nut having a non-circular opening therein, a cover pivoted on the cap, and a look inside the cover provided with a spring latch adapted to engage in the non-circular opening and projecting under the same to lock the device.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a cap having an opening through it provided with a screw thread, of means comprising a nut fitting in said screw thread for clamping the cap on the filling pipe of a tank, a spring washer on top of said nut, a second nut fitting said threads and engaging said spring washer, both the nuts having openings therethrou h provided with chordal sides to be turned %y a single wrench, a cover pivoted to the cap,

and a lock on the inside of the cover having a spring-pressed latch movable radially and spaced from the cover so that when the upper nut is turned to the proper position vertically, the closing of the cover will cause the spring latch to latch under one of the chordal edges of the second nut, the lock being ar ranged to be 0 ened by a key and having a slot through t e top of the cover for that purpose.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a cap having an opening through it provided with a screw thread, of means comprising a nut fitting in said screw thread for clamping the cap on the filling pipe'of a tank, a second nut fitting said threads, a cover pivoted to the cap, and a lock on the inside of the cover having a spring pressed -la tch movable radially and spaced from the cover so that when the upper nut is turned to the proper position verticall the closin of the cover will cause the spring latch to late under the second nut.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a cap having an opening through it provided with a screw thread, and means comprising a nut fitting in said screw thread for clamping the cap on the filling pipe of a tank, of a spring washer on top of said nut, a second nut fitting said threads and engaging said spring washer, both the nuts havmg openings therethrough provided with chordal sides, a cover pivoted to the cap, a lock on the inside of the cover having a spring-pressed latch movable radially and spaced from the cover so that when the upper nut is turned to the proper position the closing of the cover will cause the sprin latch to latch under one of the chordal e ges of the second nut, said cap having an inclined opening therethrough just above the second nut for draining purposes and a pipe in said opening projecting above the second nut to prevent its being removed. a 9. In a gas tank lock, the combination with a cap adapted to be fixed on the tank, a cover pivoted to the cap and a lock on the inside of the cover, the cap having two projections spaced apart and the cover having a projection extending between them, the three projections having a straight passage through them, of a pivot pin in said passage, and two caps driven into the opposite ends of the passage and having recesses for the ends of the pivot pin.

10. In a gas tank lock, the combination with a cap adapted to be fixed on the tank, a cover pivoted to the cap and a lock on the inside of the cover, the cap having two projections spaced apart and the cover having a projection extending between them, the three projections having a straight passage through,

them, of a pivot pin in said passage, a spring pressing upwardly on the pivot in to hold the cover down, and a gasket insi e the cover to seal the top of the cap against the entrance of water. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

' OSCAR A. WIDERBERG. 

